montana mule deer hunting public land

Hunters are reminded to check the regulations as only antlered bucks may be harvested in Region 1 and there are areas in HD 103 and HD 109 that require a permit to hunt mule deer. Montana will not have a Big Game Combo (elk and deer) alternates list for 2019. Augusta’s Dr. Oscar Kenck, second from right, with gun rack. Again, those wishing to harvest an antelope in southeastern Montana, especially a doe or fawn, will have the greatest opportunity in the southern portion of the region. The number of mule deer observed by hunters in these areas is expected to remain relatively comparable to the past two years. “The winter was mild for southeast Montana, so deer had enough 'gas in the tank' to make it through to spring green-up.”. Numbers are still below long-term averages, but fawn production was good, especially in areas with more cropland. White-tailed deer numbers east of the Crazy Mountains and in the Musselshell River and Flatwillow Creek are above the long-term average. Low 27F. A Bonnier Corporation Company. 10 Reasons You’re Not Finding Morel Mushrooms, Best Fish Finder for Kayak: Get the Right Sonar for Kayak Fishing, 5 Cooking Techniques to Make You a Better Wild Game Chef, Your Best Fly Rod: Casting for the Perfect Fly Fishing Gear, Why Early Spring is the Best Time to Scout for Whitetail Deer, The Best Tents For Family Camping, Backpacking, and More, Researcher and Angler Catches 112-Year-Old Bigmouth Buffalo, Florida Moves to Ban Future Importation of Nonnative Species, What to Say to Your Hunting Buddy After Missing an Easy Shot, Studies Show Whitetail Deer Can Get and Spread COVID-19, The Beginner’s Guide to Surfcasting for Striped Bass. Buck to doe ratios are considered good at 24 bucks per 100 does. We expect hunters to kill white-tailed deer in the 130-160 class and mule deer in the 140-170 class. Photo Courtesy Shanna Bulik-Chism (2009). 2,000 sponsored Combination licenses are set aside annually. Recent pronghorn surveys in HD 300 and HD 329 show continued population declines. Antelope numbers were up in antelope HD 340 and down slightly in HD 339. Jake Bloom got this nice elk in his first year of hunting. This area offers some of the best mule deer hunting Montana has with both mule deer and whitetail deer in the area, it is also one of the few areas in the west where wolves have not had a devastating effect on the deer herd.The deer genetics are very good and we are able to harvest some bucks in the 160 to 190 class every year. An official measurer for Boone and Crockett, Williams has tallied several typical 150-class deer; his best ever was a nontypical 180. However, hunters must be mindful of fire danger and of private landowners who are facing grass shortages, poor crop production and fatigue from monitoring for fire. So This Conservative Comic Goes on Social Media and ... Why Does Fire Fighters' 'Fill the Boot' Charity Fill the Union's Coffers? Wolf license costs were reduced for the 2020 season. You have permission to edit this article. There was an error processing your request. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Montana Deer Hunting Property For Sale offers a variety of options for buyers. Low 27F. For HD 350, the liberal elk season in recent years has been effective in reducing the population, so the season is now back to a standard regulation with brow-tined bulls on the general license and limited antlerless harvest opportunity allocated through the drawing. Swan Lake Ranger District, Flathead National Forest We were in what people who hunt refer to as “big country.”. There are only a few antelope hunting opportunities in western Montana, where the population of antelope is around 400. 4th rifle seasons on theses ranches will be $850. carry a fire extinguisher or water to quickly snuff any potential fires. He was really excited to get it before the season ended. Antelope hunting districts managed by the Butte area wildlife biologist are surveyed every other year. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Testing for CWD is voluntary, and harvested animals can be checked at the Libby Special CWD Hunt Sampling Station (Montana Department of Transportation shop on US Hwy 2, mile marker 35) during certain days of the week. If dry conditions continue through the fall, hunters should expect difficult elk hunting and average to below-average harvest. Mountain mule deer in our area are not like the mule deer you will find in the deserts in other western states, or in the plains in the eastern part of Montana or elsewhere. Along the northern Rocky Mountain Front, biologist Ryan Rauscher reports that elk numbers are generally above their long-term average, with bull to cow ratios at or near average. As with most years, overall elk hunting success is expected to be influenced by snowfall. Swan Lake Ranger District, Flathead National Forest. In the Boulder River area and north of the Yellowstone River numbers are near average. Montana landowners can sponsor nonresident deer hunters to hunt on their deeded land. In 2019, FWP detected chronic wasting disease in white-tailed deer, mule deer, and moose in the Libby area. It is a balancing act to keep deer numbers at a level that provides opportunity but doesn’t exceed the land’s carrying capacity. In addition to the following hunting forecast, FWP provides online information about hunting access, including our popular Block Management Program. Recent pronghorn counts in the Lima Peaks (HD 301) and East Pioneers (HD 310) have been above average, and the long-term trend indicates stable (HD 301) to increasing (HD 310) numbers. Whitetail populations are also about average. Also, elk shoulder seasons in HDs 390 and 391 will only run through Jan. 1 this year. Biologists observed lower-than-expected fawn production in antelope HD 371. Elk distribution will likely change from now through the archery season. Remember to ask first for permission to hunt on private land. Again, pay close attention to the regulations to make sure you are properly licensed to hunt mule deer. FWP received no reports of widespread winterkills of deer. “The message here is that the extra windshield time to reach the southeast corner of Region 7 is absolutely worth it,” Foster said. Buffalo Pass will be $850 per hunter, archery or rifle. The general deer combination license is valid for general hunting districts only and enables a nonresident the ability to hunt during the archery season and the general rifle season. Mule deer are found from high in the western mountains to the low elevation creek bottoms of eastern Wyoming and most habitats in between. Pronghorn numbers are within long-term averages for HDs 311 and 360, but due to low survival through the winter of 2018-19, doe/fawn licenses have been reduced in both areas. Brent Lonner is FWP’s wildlife biologist for the southern Rocky Mountain Front, and his winter/spring 2020 surveys of the Sun River elk herd showed strong numbers of bulls, with a calculated brow-tined bull to cow ratio of approximately 25:100. The average buck ratio across Region 7 is 48 bucks per 100 does prior to this hunting season; however, buck ratios are variable, with better ratios in the southern portion of Region 7. Region-wide, doe/fawn licenses (007-30) remain relatively low at 1,500, where they have been since 2016. Signup today! Fawn production counts are highly variable but do show an increase over time in HD 301. Late summer did bring epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) to parts of the region, and this may impact populations in some areas. The surveys did see a decrease from the 2019 survey of 9 percent. Mule deer populations are high across the region but vary depending on the hunting district. The Birdtail Hills area (districts 421 and 423) remains above its population objective of 400 – 600 elk with just under 700 elk observed in surveys this past winter. Mule deer numbers in the agricultural areas near Great Falls are generally doing well, while populations in the mountainous areas are still rebounding from lower numbers of the past few years. I do see the intent of what they are wanting to do here with Senate Bill 143 which was to give Outfitters the tags they need for clients and to limit the amount of people hunting on public land. Mule deer occupy the western two-thirds of the state and in fact are the dominant species (more mule deer than whitetails) in 20 counties. Mule deer hunting is our specialty. The 799-30 license is available one per hunter. Mule Deer are located in many areas of Montana. Recent buck harvest in the Horse Prairie/Bannack area continues to improve over the lows observed in the mid-2000s. This is a semi-guided private ranch hunt for mule deer. And for this year, I'm taking it one step further with a full outlook of mule deer populations and harvest trends across the state. Some increase in licenses were seen following the winter of 2010-11, some! Production in antelope HD 371 hoping to participate in elk shoulder seasons in any our! Since high vegetation offers better concealment, but the last half of the region but depending... Minimal across the Pioneer elk Management unit, the general tag, making excellent! Grasslands, burns, and Cottonwood trees, this is one of the Yellowstone River numbers at... Area biologists indicated buck-to-doe ratios remain at a strong 37 bucks per does! And blind hunting morning and evening is very productive here that antelope are recovering from tough... You ’ re time is limited, try to hunt on private,! 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montana mule deer hunting public land 2021